Heinrich Schütz O how fair are all thy dwellings

How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory:

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Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, Herre Zebaoth! Mein Seel verlanget und sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen des Herren, mein Leib und Seele freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott. Denn der Vogel hat ein Haus funden und die Schwalbe ihr Nest, da sie Junge hecken, nämlich deine Altar, Herre Zebaoth, mein König und mein Gott. Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause wohnen, die loben dich immerdar. Sela. Wohl den Menschen, die dich für ihre Stärke halten und vom Herzen dir nachwandeln. Die durch das Jammertal gehen, und graben daselbst Brunnen. Und die Lehrer werden mit viel Segen geschmücket; sie erhalten einen Sieg nach dem andern, dass man sehen muss, der rechte Gott sei zu Zion. Herr, Gott Zebaoth, höre mein Gebet, vernimms, Gott Jakob. Sela. Gott, unser Schild, schau doch, siehe an das Reich deines Gesalbten! Denn ein Tag in deinen Vorhöfen ist besser, denn sonst tausend. Ich will lieber die Tür hüten in meines Gottes Hause, denn lange wohnen in der Gottlosen Hütten.

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Oliver Geisler
Translation: Elizabeth Robinson

“intended for singing”
The “Psalmen Davids” and the art of consolation Heinrich Schütz was fortunate. In the years around 1600 the number of portents of the end of the world increased. And this would also naturally affect the Dresden court, even if it sometimes seemed to be in a world of its own. Constellations of stars, curious events, cometary impacts – all these happenings were rapidly broadcast through the mass media of the Baroque – pamphlets and articles. And the more frequently there were signs giving cause for concern, the nearer the predicted end approached. In the mid-16th century, 2046 was marked out as the end. But at the time when Schütz took up his post in Dresden, the year 1625 was regarded as the point in time when the ‘last trumpet’ would sound. None of this happened – as stated, he was fortunate,

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